Growing up a Vancouver Canucks fan, former Vernon resident Larry Mikalishen knows well the feeling of disappointment of his favourite National Hockey League team not winning a Stanley Cup.
It started in 1982, when the Canucks were swept in the final by the New York Islanders. Then came 1994, and a Game 7 loss to the Rangers in New York. And, of course, the Game 7 defeat at home to the Boston Bruins in 2011.
Fast forward 12 years. Mikalishen 害羞草研究所� firmly ensconced in Las Vegas since the new millennium, and a seasons-ticket holder with the Vegas Golden Knights since Day 1 in 2017 害羞草研究所� is in his seats Tuesday, June 13, in row 1 of the upper level of T-Mobile Arena that he considers 害羞草研究所榯he best in the house,害羞草研究所� between the two players害羞草研究所� benches. The Golden Knights are leading the Florida Panthers 9-3 and are a minute away from winning the Stanley Cup in just their sixth year of operation.
You害羞草研究所檇 think Mikalishen would be jumping up and down, and going nuts.
害羞草研究所淚 was in a state of, maybe a bit of shock? It wasn害羞草研究所檛 what I thought it was going to be,害羞草研究所� said Mikalishen, 61, a 1979 Vernon Senior Secondary School graduate and former lighting technician who travelled the world with various rock bands before settling in Vegas 23 years ago. He is now regional general manager of 4Wall Entertainment, a full-service lighting, video, and rigging company servicing all facets of the entertainment industry.
害羞草研究所淚 thought I害羞草研究所檇 be leaping up and down, crying and cheering. Instead, I was just sitting there, thinking, 害羞草研究所業 can害羞草研究所檛 believe this just happened.害羞草研究所� I was excited and I did cheer, but it was a different feeling than I thought was going to have.害羞草研究所�
The euphoria for the Golden Knights fan set in later Tuesday evening. He couldn害羞草研究所檛 sleep, repeating in his mind, 害羞草研究所榁egas Golden Knights: Stanley Cup champions. Did this really just happen?害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淗onestly, it was probably more exciting yesterday (Wednesday) because the game Tuesday was so draining, so tense,害羞草研究所� said Mikalishen. 害羞草研究所淎fter years and years and years of disappointment, I got to see my team win the Stanley Cup.害羞草研究所�
When Mikalishen arrived in the desert at the start of the 21st century, hockey, he said, was almost unheard of.
He害羞草研究所檇 go to a local watering hole, trying to find the Stanley Cup playoffs on a TV somewhere. ANY television in the joint. But no. While he could watch women害羞草研究所檚 college basketball and other NCAA sports to his heart害羞草研究所檚 content, there was nary an NHL game to be seen.
That didn害羞草研究所檛 really change until the nearby Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, and then came rumblings that the first professional sports team to be based in Las Vegas would be an NHL franchise.
Mikalishen got in on the ground floor thanks to connections with the hockey team he still skates for in Sin City.
害羞草研究所淚 was among the first 50 people for season tickets,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he ticket drive was run by MGM and a guy on my hockey team (which includes Canadian Football League Hall of Fame receiver Ray Elgaard of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the former all-time penalty minutes leader with the Pittsburgh Penguins when he left the team in 1990, Rod Buskas), his wife was heading up the drive for season tickets.
害羞草研究所淚 put a $600 deposit down even before knowing the team was going to be awarded.害羞草研究所�
Mikalishen originally signed a five-year contract for his seats, then re-upped for another three years at the end of last season. In the team害羞草研究所檚 first six years, he has attended all but a handful of regular-season and playoff games.
害羞草研究所淭he first season was amazing,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here were a lot of bandwagon fans who are heavily intense hockey fans. People want to grow and evolve the sport, and we welcome the band-wagoners. Go see the Vegas Golden Knights. You害羞草研究所檒l be a fan.
害羞草研究所淚n Year 1 there were so many people who didn害羞草研究所檛 know what offside was. Now, they know the rule book inside and out.
害羞草研究所淢ost of the players, I害羞草研究所檇 never heard of and I害羞草研究所檓 a hockey fan.害羞草研究所�
Mikalishen recalls the team害羞草研究所檚 first-ever regular-season home game. It came weeks after a mass shooting Oct. 1, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that resulted in 58 deaths. Mikalishen had been at an exhibition game at T-Mobile that night. He missed the massacre by five minutes as he drove home past the resort following a boost to his Jeep battery, which wouldn害羞草研究所檛 start.
害羞草研究所淭he team and the city rallied together with the shootings as one,害羞草研究所� said Mikalishen. 害羞草研究所淚t was the first time since I lived in Vegas that it felt like a community. The Knights were more than just a hockey team. They were part of the healing process of the city, they brought everybody together.害羞草研究所�
The inaugural season saw the Knights go all the way to the Stanley Cup final with 害羞草研究所渁 bunch of misfits,害羞草研究所� a nickname bestowed upon them by the media. They would lose in five games to the Washington Capitals.
On June 13, when they won the Cup, nine original Golden Knights were still with the team, much to Mikalishen害羞草研究所檚 delight. His favourite player is misfit William Karlsson.
害羞草研究所淭he team usually starts the fourth line, and when they announced 害羞草研究所榮tarting on wing, Riley Smith,害羞草研究所� I thought, 害羞草研究所極h, they害羞草研究所檙e starting Karlsson害羞草研究所檚 line,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Mikalishen. 害羞草研究所淭hen they announced Karlsson. And Jonathan Marchessault. And then I realized they were starting the original misfits, with Shay Theodore and Brayden McNabb on defence. That was the most moving thing about Game 5. It got you right in the heart.
害羞草研究所淭hose players worked year-after-year for the team. To see them hoist the Cup was really something.害羞草研究所�
Mikalishen will watch the Golden Knights celebrate one more time with the team害羞草研究所檚 victory parade Saturday. Then, in true, season-ticket-holder-fan fashion, he said he害羞草研究所檒l 害羞草研究所渄rop a couple of thousand dollars害羞草研究所� on Knights害羞草研究所� Stanley Cup swag and gear.
害羞草研究所淵ou know, stuff I害羞草研究所檒l never wear but have to have,害羞草研究所� he laughed.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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